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Sunday, March 27, 2011

It is extremely difficult to keep track of all the various entities in the Bakken and their plans/strategies but here's a start. This is a work in progress and subject to updates between now and first day of summer. I placed the oil E&P into various categories to help "newbies" better understand all the oil companies operating in the Williston Basin. The tiers are subjective and pretty much based on a) net acreage; b) perceived effectiveness; and, c) frequency one reads about them in the general press with regard to the Bakken.

Major oil exploration and production operators:

CLR: the "face" of the Bakken; the most number of rigs by far; the most acreage; goal is to triple the size of their company in five years; operates throughout the Bakken; completed 105 gross wells in 2010 --> more than 10% of all wells drilled; CLR knows the geology of the Bakken probably better than anyone; first in North Dakota Bakken to advocate multi-well pads (Eco-Pads)

WLL: tied for third (with EOG) for most acreage; Sanish oil field is WLL's cash cow; setting up operations around Belfield (North Dakota) for Three Forks "pinch out"; perhaps second best IPs (second only to BEXP), particularly great IPs in the Sanish

BEXP: moved from second tier to first tier based on outstanding IPs and very good wells; now at the top of many lists published by analysts following the Bakken; announced "SmartPad" multi-well pad concept in 2011

HES: second most net acreage (after CLR); lackluster IPs and wells in general (at least that's my impression; not statistically verified); six wells on same pad (or abutting pads); added significant addition to Bakken portfolio when it bought American Oil and Gas (AEZ)

EOG: third in net acreage (tied with WLL); started off fast in the Parshall oil field, but seems to have lost their touch (again, that's my impression; not statistically verified);

Second tier exploration and production operators:

XOM: in the Bakken through their subsidiary XTO in southwest area of the reservation

COP: in the Bakken through their subsidiary BR in various areas of the Bakken; was the largest oil producer in North Dakota leading up to the current boom; has since dropped back

Yes, a new 600-mile NGL pipeline will go from the ND Bakken to connect with the partnership's Overland Pass Pipeline, a 760-mile NGL pipeline extending from southern Wyoming to Conway, Kansas. A $500 million project.

My original post was here:http://milliondollarway.blogspot.com/2010/07/wow-more-pipeline-activity-in-bakken.html

I immediately replied that I would include GasFrac Energy on the list, but then when I went to the corporate presentation it does not show any activity in the North Dakota Bakken.

The company says they have fracked in the "Bakken" but do not clarify if it's Alberta Bakken or North Dakota Bakken. It looks like they are all over the Alberta Bakken (Canada) but not in North Dakota.

If I'm wrong, and there is a sizable presence of GasFrac Energy in North Dakota, I will add it.

You may want to post the same question over at the Bakken Shale Discussion Group: that site is designed for mineral owners; my site, not so much:

http://groups.google.com/group/bakken-shale-discussion?pli=1

Having said that, that township (159-101) is north of the core Bakken, along the Divide-Williams County line. There is increased interest that far north based on recent KOG acquistion, but in this particular township, there is no defined field. There is one location on confidential status in that township, a Marathon well, just to the east of your section 7.

Hey Bruce! We live in Florida yet own mineral rights in Divide Co. and don't pay much attention to whats happening "up in there" and not allot said on MSM so thought I would ask a pro here if you know about any activity in T160N-R101 West Sec.24,Divide Co.?? Any info appreciated greatly=>

It looks like the NDIC GIS map server is down. I am going off-line in a few minutes (I'm traveling) but I will be back on the net late tonight or tomorrow morning (Tuesday) at which time I will see if the map is back up.

Not much going on in that township right now. There is one well in that township, in section 8, a Hunt well, #23233, Sioux Trail well. It also appears that the township is not in any designated field yet.